Conwy

Conwy's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census show there were changes in religion, health and housing tenure.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Conwy increased by 5.1%, from almost 110,000 to 115,000.

The addition of just over 5,600 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Conwy was home to, on average, 0.73 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was similar to the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Conwy

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Conwy increased by three years, from 43 to 46 years.

This coastal area had a slightly higher average age than Isle of Wight, a statistically similar local authority area (46 years of age) and the highest average age in Wales.

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 14% of people in Conwy are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Denbighshire and Conwy by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Conwy fell from 29% to 27% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 442 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 5,850.

In nearby Denbighshire, 25% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 26% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was higher than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Conwy

The number of people in Conwy that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 15,000 in 2001 to about 30,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 14% to 26% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across Wales (from 19% to 32%).

The number of people in Conwy that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 85,000 in 2001 to about 75,000 in 2011 (from 78% to 65%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 8,100 to just over 9,000 (from 7.4% to 7.8%).

About 580 people (0.3%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 270 in 2001 (0.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Conwy increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Denbighshire and Conwy by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Conwy residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% to 7.0% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Conwy residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 16%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to Denbighshire (from 12% in 2001 to 7.3% in 2011). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Conwy decreased by 4.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Conwy, Denbighshire and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Conwy that rented privately increased from 13% to 17% between the last two censuses.

The proportion that lived in social housing remained close to 12%, while the percentage of Conwy households that owner their home decreased from 73% to 69%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to Denbighshire (from 12% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14%.

Private renting in Conwy increased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Conwy, Denbighshire and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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